SILSDEN boss Danny Forrest is quietly confident that his club will do well in the coming season following an upturn in fortunes after the turn of the year.

The Cobbydalers finished just inside the top half of Hallmark Security League Division One, and the former Bradford City, Halifax Town and Guiseley striker is looking forward to his first pre-season as a manager.

Forrest said: “Every single player from last season’s squad has agreed to stay with us, and I’m very pleased about that because there’s been a lot of interest in some of our lads.

“Clubs from our level and above have been keeping an eye on the situation but from what the players are telling me they are all happy to come back.

"We have also added two quality players in Joe Gaughan and Arley Barnes, and there will be another announced soon.

“I’m really happy that Joe and Arley are back at the club. They both came through here and welcoming young players like them back is great for the club.

"They are both very talented and want to play the game the way we play it here – like the retained players, they have bought into what we’re all about.”

Forrest is standing by the squad that ended the last campaign, so is looking to add to his pool of players rather than overhaul it.

He added: “There won’t be loads of new signings because we started this process in January.

“That’s when we began looking to the future and we want to regroup for pre-season and I hope that we can push on to the next level with these lads.

"Everything is shaping up well because we got organised early.”

It may be Forrest’s first pre-season as a manager but the former pro player still has a hard-nosed outlook.

He said: “The players are coming back in from training this week (June 20) and some people are saying it’s come around quick and been a short close season.

“I don’t know about that as they’ve had all of May off, and in total it’ll be six or seven weeks of a break.

"That’s enough rest so they should be over any niggling injuries and, if they’re like me, they’ll be looking forward to the friendly games already.”